The peristomal, perianal, and perineal skin in subjects with an ostomy or fecal incontinence, and infants wearing diapers can be continuously exposed to feces. When this occurs, the skin is attacked by the contents of feces, mainly the proteolytic or digestive enzymes. This leads to erosion of the skin surface resulting in severe skin conditions, such as dermatitis. Similar skin erosion could also occur in peri-wound skin in a wound environment.
In the case of ostomates, a variety of products are used in an attempt to protect the skin from fecal or urine contact. These include adhesive wafers, lotions, creams, pastes, rings, barrier wipes, etc. However, all of these methods of protection only offer a physical barrier to enzymatic attack. When the physical barrier wears out or breaks, the enzymatic attack is imminent. In the case of ostomates, another drawback is that pre-treatments to the skin, such as lotions or creams, may negatively affect the adhesion of the adhesive wafer to the skin. This can lead to premature failure by detachment of the ostomy device, which is not acceptable.
In the case of a wound, enzymes such as elastase potentially cause skin damage and retard wound healing.
The present invention is related to the protection of the skin using an adhesive composition which contains enzyme inhibiting additives while maintaining the function of the adhesive and the inhibitors.